Man killed girlfriend and left her body in a garage for weeks, Ohio officials say
An Ohio man was sentenced to prison after officials say he killed his girlfriend and hit her 10-year-old son with a shovel.
Kandawaswika Kahari pleaded guilty in December to aggravated murder, felonious assault and gross abuse of a corpse, court records show. Now, he has been sentenced to 39 years in prison, according to WCMH.
McClatchy News reached out to Kahari’s attorney for comment but did not immediately hear back.
On March 10, 2023, police were called to perform a well-being check at a home in Reynoldsburg. When they arrived, they found a 10-year-old boy alone and his mother’s body inside a vehicle in a garage, according to court records.
Her body had “clearly been there for a few weeks.”
The boy told police his mom, who McClatchy news is not naming to protect the identity of her child, died on the couch, court records said. He said the last time he saw his mom alive was when she went into the garage, then Kahari carried her inside and placed her on the couch, according to court records.
Kahari eventually told his parents what happened and his dad called police so he could turn himself in, officials said.
Kahari told investigators he and the woman were in a relationship. He said the day of her death he was working and she was texting him “back-to-back-to-back” and was getting upset when he didn’t respond, court records said.
When he got to the house, he went into the garage and the two began arguing, he told investigators, according to court records.
He began punching and choking her until she went unconscious, then when her son walked into the garage, Kahari hit him with a small shovel and punched him repeatedly, officials said.
Kahari carried the boy to his room then performed CPR on the woman until she regained consciousness, court records said.
Kahari “helped her into the house and to the couch,” officials said. Then he choked her again, killing her, according to court records.
Kahari told officials he did not know why he killed her and their relationship was “toxic,” court records said.
Kahari returned to the home everyday to take care of the boy, officials said.
“I had to turn myself in for what happened. I killed her, I hurt (the boy),” Kahari told investigators, according to court records.
